Reenforcing structure for molded caskets



June 1 1926. 1,587,257

F. VAN ALSTINE REENFORGING STRUCTURE FOR MOLDED CASKETS Filed Sept. 2L 1925 l 2 sheetsfshee 1 June 1 1926.

' F. VN .ALS-TENES REENFOHOING STRUCTURE FOR MOLDED CASKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2].Y 1925 Patented .une 1, 191261.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK VAN ALSTINE, 0F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

REENFORCING STRUCTUBJE FOR MOLDED CASKE'IS.

Application led September The invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of burial caskets and analogous devices, of the type which ismolded from appropriate plastic, amagnesite composition being preferablyzused, mixed with chloride. 'My invention resides in the reenforcinlg structure for a molded casket and. it is my object to provide a structure of this class which may be easily and inexpensively formed, yet will be generally desirable and ecient, said structure being provided with wooden strips which are exposed at the inner side of the completed casket, so that the casket lining may be readily tacked to such strips. The mere use of wooden strips for this purpose is not original with me, but the relation of strips with other parts of the reenforcing structure is novel and it is upon such relation, together with other features of novelty, that I seek patent protection.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the casket reenforcing structure, the top reenforcing means being separated from the reenforcing means for the body of the casket.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the construction at the edge of the top-reenforcing structure.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section through the construction at the upper 'portion of the body reenforcement.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section through the construction at the lower corners of the body-reenforcing structure.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view as indicated by line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of fragmentary nature, illustrating the pre ferred manner of forming the bottom, the side walls and the end walls of the body-reenforcing structure, from a single piece of woven wire or equivalent reticulate metal.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional View lthrough a complete casket embodying the improved reenforcing structure.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view as indicated by line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 10-10 of Figure 8.

The construction for reenforcing the body of the casket will first be described. This construction includes a bottom 11, a pair of longitudinal side walls 12, and end walls 21, 1925. Selal No. 57,702.

13, all formed from coarse woven wire or any other desired open work or recticulate metal. In order to form the bottom, side and end walls, a single piece of the reticulate metal is preferably cut substantially as shown in Figure 6, .it being understood that while only one end of the sheet is shown, the other end is correspondingly cut. Ihen, this sheet is bent in the manner shown 1n Figure 7, so that its portions 11a, 12a and 13a, form the bottom 11, side walls 12 and end walls 13 respectively, the lower edges of said portions 13a being preferably bent inwardly under the ends of the bottom 11, as indicated at lll. rI`he portions 13EL overlap each other to effectively reenforce the end walls, for the attachment of appropriate handles 15, to the completed casket at these points, and if desired, strands of these portions may be interhooked or interlaced with each other.

Upper and lower longitudinal and transverse wooden strips 16 and 17 respectively, are disposed horizontally at the inner sides of the walls 12 and 13, near the upper and lower edges of the latter, said strips and walls being secured together by any preferred means such as the lengths of wire 18. Other longitudinal wooden strips 19 and transverse strips 2O are applied to the upper side of the bottom 11, and may be secured to the latter by wiring asindicated at 21. All of these wooden strips are exposed at the inner side of the casket when completed, and they provide for tacking the casket lining in place.

Vertically disposed strips 22 of reticulate metal, extend between spaced portions of the upper and lower wooden strips 16 and are secured to the latter by wiring 23 or other suitable means. These strips are spaced inwardly from the side walls 12 and they preferably have their edges 24: bent laterally outward into contact with said side walls. The strips 22 form effective reenforcements to which to anchor the handles 25 at the sides of the completed structure.

To reenforce the upper edges of the walls 12 and 18 and to provide for the formation of an external bead or rib on the completedl casket, the construction detailed in Figure 3 is provided. In this view and such other views as permit the application of reference characters to these parts. 26

designates a channel-shaped strip of reticulate metal, in whose channel the upper' edges of the walls l2 and 13 are received. 27 designates another channel-shaped strip of the same material, disposed at the exterior of the walls 12 and 13, adjacent the lower edge of the strip 26, the channel of this strip being disposed inwardly. Strands 28 on the edges of the strip 27 preferably pass through the reticulate walls l2l and 13 and through the reticulate strip 26, as fully shown in Figure 3. To reenforce the lower corners of the structure and provide for an external rib or bead formation at the lower corners of the completed casket, channel-shaped stripping 29, of reticulate metal, is disposed at the exterior of the structure with its channel facing inwardly, strands 30 at the edges of this strippingbeing preferably passed through the reticulate side and end walls, this construction being detailed fully in Figure 4l.

The reenforcing structure for the top of the casket comprises a skeleton framcl formed of wooden strips, this frame being provided with a covering 32 of reticulate metal. rlhis covering projects beyond the frame and has its edge portion folded upon itself as indicated at 38, this edge portion beng received in the channel of channel-shaped, reticulate, metal stripping 84. This construction effectively reenforces the edge of the covering 82 and provides for the necessary thickened formation at the edge of the casket cover. ri'he wooden frame 3l is exposed at the inner side of the completed cover and the top lining is tacked to it. This frame may be secured to the cover 32 in any suitable manner, for instance by wiring at intervals as indicated at After the body and top reenforcing structures have been completely formed as above described, or substantially in this manner, they are placed in appropriate molds and the plastic material is poured around them and allowed to set, thus providing` a complete casket body B and top T, the two being properly shaped for tight engagement with each other. When the completed top and body are removed from the molds, the linings L and L may be tacked in place after first performing any other necessary work, such as attaching the handles 15 and 25.

Excellent results are obtainable from the details of construction herein disclosed and they are therefore preferably followed. However within the scope of the invention as claimed, modifications may be made.

I claim l. A reenforcing structure for a molded casket,'comprising a bottom, side and end walls formed or reticulate metal, upper and lower longitudinal and transverse wooden strips secured to the inner sides of said side and end walls near the upper and lower edges thereof, providing for tacking the casket lining in place, and vertical strips of reticulate metal extending between the upper and lower longitudinal strips of wood and secured thereto, said metal strips being inwardly spaced from the aforesaid side walls and constituting eective means to which to anchor the casket handles.

2. A structure as specified in claim l; the vertical edge portions of said metal strips being outwardly bent into contact with said side walls.

3. A reenforcing structure for a molded casket, comprising a bottom, side and end walls formed of reticulate metal, and channel-shaped stripping of reticulate metal disposed at the exterior of said side and end walls, the open sides of the channels being disposed inwardly toward the walls, said stripping forming reenforcement for an external rib or bead formation on the casket.

1l. A structure as specified in claim 3; said stripping having strands at its edges passing through said reticulate walls.

A reenforcing structure for a molded casket, comprising a bottom, side and end walls formed of reticulate metal, and channel-shaped stripping of reticulate metal into whose channel the upper edges of said side and end walls project, said stripping having its sides terminating a short distance below said upper edges of said side and end walls and forming effective reenforcement for the upper edges of the casket.

G. A reenforcing structure for a molded casket, comprising a bottom, side and end walls formed of reticulate metal, channelshapcd stripping of reticulate metal into whose channel the upper edges of said side and end walls project, and other channelshaped stripping of reticulate metal at the exterior of said walls adjacent the lower edge of the first named stripping, said other stripping having strands at its edges passing through the reticulate walls and through the rst named stripping, all of said stripping forming reenforcement for the upper edge portion of the casket.

7. A reenforcing structure for a molded casket top, comprising a skeleton frame of wood to which to tack the top lining of the casket, a covering of recticulate metal over said frame and projecting beyond the same and channel-shaped stripping of reticulate metal into whose channel the edges of said covering project.

S. A reenforcing structure for a molded casket top, comprising a skeleton frame of wood to which to tack the top lining of the casket, a covering of reticulate metal over said frame and projecting beyond the same, the edge of said covering being folded upon itself, and channel-shaped reticulate metal stripping in whose channel said folded edge a short distance inwardly from said free is received. edge of the metal sheet to provide a sup- 9. A casket reenforcement including a plemental reenforcement for a thickened 1 reticulate metal sheet having :a free edge, formation at the edges of the casket. 5 and a narrow channel-shaped reticulate In testimony whereof I have hereunto metal strip into whose channel said edge aixed my signature. projects, the sides of said strip terminating FRANK VAN ALSTINE. 

